Which place is cheaper, Shenzhen or Halong Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Shenzhen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Halong Bay and Shenzhen can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Halong Bay or Shenzhen?
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
Shenzhen
Located in the Guangdong Province of southeastern China, Shenzhen is a metropolis that connects Hong Kong to China's mainland. It is one of China's most populous cities, inhabited by vast array of people from other Chinese regions. It is perhaps best known for it shopping, collection of amusement parks, green parks, museums and galleries, and a few historic sites. It is on UNESCO's Creative Cities list.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, and The Best Cultural Tours in China.
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Halong Bay Prices
Vietnam PricesShenzhen Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $67Shenzhen $149
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $67, while the average daily cost in Shenzhen is $149. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Halong Bay and Shenzhen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $27Shenzhen $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $54Shenzhen $194
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Shenzhen
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Shenzhen? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Shenzhen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $14Shenzhen $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Transfer Ha Long and Ninh Binh by Limousine Bus: $23
- Private Transfer: From Ha Long Bay to Ninh Binh: $110
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $54
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport (HAN): $76
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $61
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $73
- Private Transfer from Ha Long to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $54
- Private Transfer From Ha Long Bay(Tuan Chau harbor) To Ninh Binh: $90
- Private Halong Bay Day Tour: Transfer, Lunch, Guide, Entrance Fee: $300
- Premium 2-Day Halong & Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Transfer: $299
- Oasis Bay Party Cruise for Young Travelers with Transfer Included: $185
- Halong Wonder Bay Cruise 1 Day Tour from Hanoi with Limo Transfer: $68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shenzhen
Also for Shenzhen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- A One-Way Disneyland Pick-Up Transfer to Hong Kong Hotel: $33
- AIRPORT TRANSFER service Kowloon with Mercedes Benz: $39
- Bicycle Airport Transfer Service | Hong Kong: $196
- Disneyland Private 2-Way Transfer Service: $88
- HK Airport to Cruise Terminal Rounded-Trip Private Transfer by Lexus Luxury Car: $139
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) Transfer to Shenzhen by Toyota Alphard: $220
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong - Arrival Private Transfer: $50
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $87
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $101
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal - Arrival Private Transfer: $67
- Hong Kong Airport Chauffeur Service, Hong Kong Airport Transfer: $66
- Hong Kong Airport Private Transfer To HongKong and Disneyland: $37
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Shenzhen?
Prices for flights to both Shenzhen and Halong Bay change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayHalong Bay $27Shenzhen $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $37
- Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner: $37
- Luxury Ha Long Bay Yacht Dinner Cruise & Spectacular Views: $71
- Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $210
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shenzhen
For Shenzhen, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Shenzhen Food Tour with Locals: $46
- Hong Kong: 7-Course Hong Kong Street & Restaurant Food Tour: $59
- Hong Kong's Tin Hau Hidden Gems Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings: $107
- Hong Kong Food Tour: Central and Sheung Wan Districts: $107
- Temple Street Night Market Tour plus Victoria Harbour Dinner Cruise: $131
- Hong Kong Market Walking Tour & Chinese Cooking Class: $131
- Hong Kong Sightseeing Tour With Dinner Cruise From Shenzhen: $136
- Hong Kong Best Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $143
- Private Authentic Hong Kong's Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings: $159
- Kowloon Street Food Tour Private & Personalized with a Local: $169
- Hong Kong Tour, Victoria Harbour Dinner Cruise & TurboJet Transfers from Macau: $170
- Hong Kong Private & Personalized Food Tour with a Local: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $16Shenzhen $18
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 07 Hours Explore Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay on HERA DAY CRUISE: $80
- 1 Day Cruise - Halong Bay - Lan Ha Bay - More Than 10 Options: $138
- 1 Day Ha Long & Ti Top Island on 3* Cruise: $39
- 1 Day Ha Long & Ti Top Island on 5* Cruise: $51
- 1 Day Halong Bay Exploration with Luxury Cruise and Seaplane: $250
- 2 Day 1 Night Ha Long Bay Cruise with Ocean View Balcony and Meal: $259
- 2 Day 1 Night Luxury Azura Cruise through Halong & Lan Ha Bay: $207
- 2 Day Guided Cruise Tour in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi: $201
- 2 Day Halong and Lan Ha Bay Cruise from Halong Port: $226
- 2 Day Scenic Cruise to Halong and Bai Tu Long Bay: $220
- 2 Day/1 Night Halong Bay New L'amour Cruise with Balcony Cabin: $259
- 2 Days 1 Night Celina 6 Star Luxury Cruise Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay: $299
Tours and Activities in Shenzhen
For Shenzhen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour: $2.61
- Secret Hong Kong: Hidden Local Spots Self Guided Adventure: $3.43
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Hong Kong: $4.58
- Skip the Line! Walk to the Peak: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.00
- Hong Kong Ghost Tour (Self-Guided Audio Tour): $5.00
- Victoria Peak: Climb to the summit via the Mid-Levels escalato on an audio tour: $6.99
- Markets in Motion: Audio Tour of Mong Kok: $6.99
- Hong Kong International Airport Rail Experience: $9.52
- Kowloon Tong: An Audio Tour of Hong Kong: $9.99
- Hong Kong Walking Tour with Audio Guide on your Smartphone: $11
- Monopoly Dreams Hong Kong Ticket Peak Galleria 4D Fun: $13
- Explore Lovely Hong Kong: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $12Shenzhen $21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Shenzhen, we can see that Shenzhen is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Halong Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halong Bay and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Shenzhen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shenzhen than you might in Halong Bay.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Halong Bay Expensive? and Is Shenzhen Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.